BOSTON- Tuesday, February 12, 2013 - Governor Deval Patrick today visited the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's (MassDOT) Highway Operations Center (HOC) to thank employees for their continuing role during the Blizzard of 2013. Operator stations and the MassDOT Storm Desk were manned 24/7 during blizzard. The Storm Desk is tasked with logging the equipment, personnel and snow plow vendors working to treat and clear highways across the Commonwealth. Before and during the height of the storm, the HOC worked to program highway message boards around the Commonwealth to provide critical travel information. Operators continue to monitor storm recovery operations and are dispatching snow removal crews and taking reports from the public on sections of highway still requiring attention. The HOC will play a critical role informing the public when it is safe to return to peak-hour breakdown lane travel on I-95 and along Route 3.

The HOC is charged with detecting roadway incidents, receiving reports of roadway incidents, and coordinating traffic operations, maintenance and emergency response activities with MassDOT personnel and other agencies such as the State Police and local fire departments.